Proline synthesis in barley under iron deficiency and salinity

This work investigates proline synthesis in six barley varieties subjected to iron deficiency, salinity or both stresses. The highest growth under Fe sufficiency corresponded to Belgrano and Shakira. A moderate augment of leaf phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity was observed in all six varieties in response to Fe deficiency, consistently in leaves and sporadically in roots. All six varieties accumulated proline under Fe deficiency, to a higher extent in leaves than in roots. The decrease of Fe supply from 100 μM NaFe(III)-EDTA to 0.5 μM NaFe(III)-EDTA reduced growth and photosynthetic pigments similarly in the six barley varieties. On the contrary, differences between varieties could be observed with respect to increased or, conversely, decreased proline content as a function of the amount of NaFe(III)-EDTA supplied. These two opposite types were represented by Belgrano (higher proline under Fe deficiency) and Shakira (higher proline under Fe sufficiency). Time-course experiments suggested that leaf PEPC activity was not directly responsible for supplying C for proline synthesis under Fe deficiency. High proline levels in the leaves of Fe-deficient Belgrano plants in salinity were associated to a better performance of this variety under these combined stresses.